Seal for pumps, mixers, and the like



Oct. 19, 1943. c; HUFF I 2,332,150

SEAL FOR PUMPS, MIXERS, AND THE LIKE 7 Filed July 15,1942

INVENTOR LYMAN C. HUFF ATTORNEY ?atented Oct. 19, 1943 UNITED STAT .jt itls SEAL FOR PUMPS, LIIXERS, AND THE LIKE Lyman C. Hufl', Chicago, Ill., assignor to Universal Oil Products Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application July 13, 1942, Serial no. 450,810

1 Claim. (01. 28619) The invention relates to an improvement in apparatus of the class of rotary or centrifugal pumps, mixers, contactors and the like and particularlyto apparatus of this class designed to handle hot and/or corrosive fluid at superatmospheric'pressure. I 'More'speciflcally, the invention is directed to means for preventing the leakage of hot and/or corrosive fluid from the pumping or mixing chamber of suchdevices past the packing for the impeller shaft. As applied to pumps, mixers and the like forvhot fluid, the invention also provides means for keeping the impeller shaft, stumng box and packing relatively cool.

To illustrate the features of the invention and its utilities and advantages, the subsequent description is directed principally to one specific I I form of the apparatus provided by the invention which is designed to handle both relatively hot and highly corrosive fluid at substantial superatmospheric pressure. However; the apparatus is not limited to use under all of these adverse conditions and certainfeatures thereof involving less than the entire combination disclosed will be found advantageous under less severe conditions of service. Q

The specific form of'apparatus herein illus' trated anddescribed is designed for use in an alkylating process for reacting saturated and'unsaturated hydrocarbons and employing hydrogen fluoride as a catalyst or alkylating agent. 'In this type of process it'is necessary to thoroughly mix the reactants with thealkylating agent in a reaction zone which is operated at elevated temperature and at relatively high superatmospheric pressure. Th'e concentrated hydrogen fluoride employed as the alkylati'ng' agent is highly corrosive to most metals andpacking materials and one of themost difficult and troublesome problems encounteredinthe construction and operation of pumps for hydrogen fluoride and mechanical mixing devicesfor intimately contacting the hydrogen fluoride with the hydrocarbon reactants in the reaction zone is that of maintaining a tight sealabout the shafts of the pumps and mixers and preventing attack of the shaft, packing and stuihng box by the: hydrogen fluoride.

The difliculty 'above mentioned-is obviated in the apparatus of the present invention by providing an elongated stuffing box about the shaft 'with'the packing material disposed at thewend thereof most remotefrom the impeller and by providing separators or' pressure breakdown members about said shaft in the stuiiing box at spaced points intermediate the packing and the into another impeller, with means for introducing relatively cool non-corrosive fluid into a space provided between. said'breakdown members at a higher pressure than that employed in the pumping-or mixing zone. v the restricted flow of I this relatively cool, non corrosive fluid between the same and the shaft in opposite directions from said space. A portion of the relatively cool non-corrosive fluid is thus supplied from said space betweenfthe surface of the shaft and the breakdown member adjacent the impeller into the pumping or mixing zone, while another portion thereof flows from said space between the surface of the shaft and the breakdown member adjacent thepacking space provided therebetween, wherefrom it is discharged preferably to a suitable storage tankor reservoir from which it is again supplied under pressure to the flrst'named space. When desired, the flrstnamed space may be divided by suitable partitioning means provided therein between the shaft'and the wall of the stuffing box into separate zones to which separate portions of relatively cool non-corrosive fluid are supplied, the separate. portions flowing in opposite directions between. the shaft and the adjacent breakdown members asabove described. I It will be apparent that in this improvedform of apparatus the'packing is isolated from contact with the hot, corrosive fluid handled by the impeller, coming in contact only with-the. relatively cool non-corrosive fluid which flows past the breakdown member adjacent the packing. This greatly'simplifiesthe problem of packing the shaft'and permits the use of readily available packing materials; which would not other-t wise be suitable for thisclass .o'f, services; Also,

' the stufiingbox and its -in tern'al parts -areprotially in section, of an apparatus incorporating opposite direction.

matic drawing and the followi g description thereof.

The drawing is an elevational view, s hown parthe features of the invention.

Referring to w the drawing, the apparatus .here

illustrated comprises a rotary impeller l to which the fluids to be mixed. aresupplied through inlet The breakdown members permit other features I and I port 2 and wherefrom they are discharged through the outlet ports 3 into a main body of said fluid, not shown, which surrounds the impeller. The impeller is mounted on shaft 4 through which it is driven by a motor or any other suitable motivating means, not illustrated.

A portion of the wall of a confined mixing zone within which impeller I is disposed, as indicated at 5, and a cylindrical member 6 integral with or suitably secured to wall 5 comprises a stufling box through which shaft 4 extends from the impeller to a suitable outboard bearing I within which shaft 4 is journalled. The bearing 1 is housed in a suitable supporting member 8 attached by legs 9 to wall 5. A flanged collar I2 is provided on shaft 4 adjacent member 8 and a thrust bearing I3 is provided between members I2 and 9. Packing I is provided about shaft 4 within member 6 adjacent the outer end of the latter and a packing gland or follower adiustably bolted, as indicated, to member 6 is provided for compressing the packing. A suitable fitting, indicated at I4, for supplying solid lubricant to the packing and shaft is provided on member 6 or a pressure oiler for liquid lubricant may be substituted.

A member I5 relatively closely fitted about shaft 4, but permitting the restricted flow of fluid between its inner surface and the shaft, is provided at that end of member Ii adjacent the impeller. The restriction to flow along the shaft past this member is sufllcient to cause a considerable drop'in the pressure of the flowing fluid from one end of member I5 to its opposite end and, for the sake of convenience, this type of element will be hereinafter termed a pressure breakdown.

member." A similar pressure breakdown member, indicated at I6, is provided between the packing and member I5 and spaces are provided within member 6 about the shaft between members I5 and I6, and between member I6 and the packing. A spacer I1 is disposed in the space provided between the packing and member I6 and a spacer I8 is provided in the space between members I5 and I6. Preferably, member I9 is closely fitted at its mid-portion to the shaft and to the inner surface of member 6 so thatit forms an effective partition dividing the space between members I5 and I6 into separate zones I9 and 20.

The fluid employed for preventing leakage about shaft 4 from the mixing zone into the stufling box is non-corrosive or materially less corrosive than the main body of fluid handled by the impeller and is stored preferably at relatively low temperature in a closed vessel 2 I. This fluid may comprise any'material of a relatively non-corrosive nature which will not adversely affeet the reaction to be conducted in the mixing zone when commingled in relatively small quan-- titles with the reactants undergoing treatment therein. It may, for example, comprise a regu lated quantity of one of the reactants or a mixture of two or more of the reactants without the corrosive ingredients of the reacting mixture. Thus, as applied to th alkylation of iso-butane with butylenes, for example, it may comprise iso or normal butane, or a mixture thereof, or bulylenes or a mixture of butanes and butylenes, but will not contain the alkylating agent. This'fluid is preferably employed in liquid state and when, as in the case of butanes or butylenes, it is gaseous under atmospheric conditions, I preferably employ means for maintaining this fluid in liquid state. In the case illustrated, a closed coil 22 is provided within vessel 2| and a suitable cooling 7 drives shaft 4 and impeller I.

medium is circulated through the coil at the temperature and rate required to keep the fluid in essentially liquid state.

Liquid is directed from the lower portion of the body thereof maintained in vessel 2| through line 23 to pump 24 which is driven by any suitable motivating means, not illustrated, and from which the liquid is discharged through line 25 into lines 26 and 21 which communicate, respectively, with zones I9 and 20. When desired pump 24 may be driven, from shaft 4 or otherwise, by the same motivating means, not shown, which A pressure gauge 28 connected with the discharge side of the pump indicates the pressure at this point in the system and this pressure is maintained at a substantially constant value sufliciently greater than that employed in the mixing zone that liquid discharged from line 26 into zone I9 will be forced from the latter between member I5 and shaft-4 into the mixing zone, thus maintaining a positive flow of fluid along the surface of the shaft and preventing the seepage of corrosive fluid from the mixing zone along the shaft into the stufllng box. In the case illustrated, a substantially constant pump discharge pressure of the desired value is maintained by providing a pressure regulating valve 29 in by-pass line 30, which connects line 25 with vessel 2 I. Any desired type of pressure regulating valve may be employed and, in the case illustrated, it is a diaphragm type valve in which pressu're is transmitted from one of the pump discharge lines (line 21 in this particular instance) through conduit 3| to the under side of the diaphragm, which is spring-loaded on its opposite side., Thus, an increase in the discharge pressure of the pump above that for which valve 29 is set to operate will open the valve so that liquid is returned from the discharge side of the pump back to vessel 2| until the desired lower pressure is reestablished, whereupon valve 29 will close.

Vessel 2| is also provided, in the case illustrated with a pressure gauge 32, which indicates the pressure prevailing in this zone of the system, and

, is also provided with a safety valve 33 for releasing from the vessel any excess pressure which may be developed therein. It is, of course, within the scope of the invention to employ an open vessel in place of a closed vessel 2| or to operate vessel 2| at substantially atmospheric pressure, although superatmospheric pressure is generally preferred in this zone, particularly when the fluid stored therein is gaseous under atmospheric conditions.

When desired, and particularly in case the fluid supplied through line 26 and zone I9 to the mixing zone is one of the reactants or a mixture of reactants, its quantity is measured so that the proportional relationship between the reactants undergoing treatment may be maintained at the desired value. This may be accomplished, for example, by an indicating or recording flow meter of any suitable type, not illustrated, and in this particular instance an orifice plate 34 is provided between flanges 35 in line 25 with connections 3! and 38 on the downstream and upstream sides of the orifice plate leading to the flow meter.

The fluid supplied from line 21 to zone 20 flows along shaft 4 past member I6 into the zone 39 provided between member I6 and the packing and is returned from this zone through line 40 to vessel 2 I. By maintaining a substantially lower pressure in vessel 2| and in zone 39 than that employed in the mixing zone, the packing III is subjected only to this relatively low pressure,

which is a distinct advantage when high superatmospheric pressure is employed in the mixing zone. To maintain reduced pressure in zone 39 and vessel 2| and still insure positive and continuous flow of the fluid from zone l9 into the mixing zone and from zone 20 into zone 39 and back from vessel 2|, the pressure breakdown member I6 is designed to give a greater pressure drop than member l5. This may be accomplished by fitting it more closely to the shaft than member IE or by making it longer than member I with substantially the same flt.

In case the fluids undergoing reaction in the mixing zone are at relatively high temperature; the fluid supplied, as previously described, from vessel 2| may also serve as a cooling fluid for shaft 4, packing l and members l5, l6, l1 and I8 by maintaining the temperature of the vessel 2| at a sufficiently low level. This is accomplished, in the case illustrated, by the cooling fluid circulated through coil 32, but it is also Within the scope of the invention, when desired, to cool the fluid in any other suitable manner, not illustrated, such as, for example, by jacketlng vessel 2| and circulating a cooling fluid through the jacket or by providing a cooling coil in lin 40 or in line 23.

Since the fluid supplied through line 26 to zone I9 is directed therefrom into the mixing zone and is not returned to vessel 2| there will be a loss of this fluid from the circuit as the operation progresses. This loss usually is relatively small and vessel 2| may, when desired, be of sufficient size to act as a supply tank and retain suillcient fluid for relatively prolonged operation of the process. Otherwise, additional fluid may be periodically supplied to the system from any convenient bulk supply, not illustrated, through line 4| and valve 42 communicating with the pump suction line 23. Line 4| and valve 42 may also be employed as a means of charging vessel 2| with. the desired quantity of fluid prior to operation of the process and pump 24 may be used as the charging pump by closing valve 45 in line 23 and valves 43 and 44 in the respective lines 21 and 26, so that valve 29 in line 30 will open to admit the fluiddischarge from the pump to tank 2|.

The apparatus is, of course, constructed of materials capable of withstanding the conditions of service to which they are subjected. These materials may be selected to suit requirements and except for specific instances are not considered a novel part of the invention. However, as app ied to the alkylation process employing hydrogen fluoride, for example, or as applied to any process utiliz ng a reagent or catalyst of an acidic nature or highly corrosive to most of the common metals, I specifically contemplate the use of carbon in solid graphitic form or impregnated with graphite for member H. Member Hi may be constructed of the same material, although this is not necessary due to thenon-corrosive nature of the fluid with which this member comes in contact, permitting it as well as members I! and llto be constructed of any desired metal or alloy which will not cause galling or cutting of the shaft when closely fitted thereto.

As an example of one specific operation of the apparatus herein provided and of the relatively severe conditions under which it will function, 'we will consider a fairly typical process for alkylating iso-butane with butenes employing hydrogen fluoride as the catalyst or alkylating agent. Impeller of the apparatus illustrated is mounted within a reaction and mixing zone to which the hydrogen fluoride employed and a major portion of the total reactants are supplied by well known means, not illustrated, and thoroughly commingled by the operation of impeller l. The mixing and reaction zone is operated at a superatmospheric pressure of about 175 pounds per square inch and a temperature of about 110 F. is maintained in this zone. Vessel 2| is charged with a mixture of the iso-butane and butenes to be reacted and is operated at a gauge pressure of approximately 100 pounds. A superatmospheric pressure: of approximately 200 pounds per square inch is maintained on the discharge side of pump 24 andin zones l9 and 2|I- purtenances, as well as the packing itself, are

' protected from contact with the corrosive mixture undergoing treatment in the reaction zone. I claim as my invention:

In an apparatus of the class described, a stuff- 40 mg box, a shaft extending through said stuffing box, packing means for the shaft disposed about the latter within said stufling box adjacent its.

outer end,- a pressure breakdown member disposed about the shaft adjacent the opposite end of the stufllng box, a second pressure breakdown member disposed intermediate the packing means and the first named pressure breakdown member, a space being provided within thestufflng box between said pressure breakdown members, partitioning means dividing said space into a zone disposed adjacent the first named pressure breakdown member and a separate zone disposed adjacent said second pressure breakdown member, another space being provided between the packing means and said second pressure breakdown member, said partitioning means being closely fitted to the shaft and the inner surface of the stufflng box to form a closure between said zones, and means for supplying fluid to each of said separate zones under pressure to force liquid outwardly from the flrst named zone between the shaft and the first named pressure breakdown member and from the'other zone past said second pressure breakdown member and the shaft into said space adjacent the packing means. 

